The Associació Veïnal Coliseu is the residents association in the bullring area of Palma. On June 24, a concert for Spanish students on so-called study trips has been scheduled. Recalling events of last year - a concert at the bullring was a principal source of the huge Covid outbreak among students - the association has pre-empted this year's concert by formally denouncing it.
A Balearic government fine of 200,000 euros was imposed on the organisers of last summer's event. But while Covid isn't the issue it was last June, residents are once more alarmed at the prospect of "a party in the bullring with 6,000 kids, most of them minors and drunk". "This is a residential neighbourhood with 16,000 people into which come 6,000 drunken youths. The secrecy of the owners, the lack of transparency and experiences of other years lead us to suspect that there will be unpleasant incidents this summer."
The bullring concert is just one example of Palma residents in different neighbourhoods becoming increasingly concerned by noise and anti-social behaviour.
Salvador Maimó is the president of the Associació de Veïns Es Fortí. He has been watching what has been happening in neighbouring Santa Catalina: “We are afraid that it will spread to our neighbourhood." He notes that there are four hotels in their area and says that the association is not wanting pedestrianisation. Maribel Alcázar, the president of the federation of Palma residents associations, points out that pavements can end up being full of terraces if there is pedestrianisation and streets are converted into "civic axes", a term used to refer to public space that priorities people on foot over vehicles.
In Santa Catalina, which has been attracting much recent attention, Palma police issued 106 reports over the weekend. Thirty-two of these were for traffic offences. The others were for breaches of ordinance on noise and behaviour.